Food Safety Update: Typhoid Fever Risk linked Food Handler

An incident at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana is a perfect example of how food handlers can spread infectious diseases through improper food handing and bad hygiene. A food handler tested positive for typhoid according to the state’s health officials.

Many people who ate at the university campus restaurant between January 23 and 25th may be at risk of a typhoid infection. Authorities have warned the public that the symptoms of typhoid include high fever, stomach pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Those exposed to the infection may develop symptoms within 8 to 14 days but in some cases it could take as long as 30 days for symptoms to occur. Typhoid fever is known to sicken about 400 people in the USA each year and those commonly infected are international travellers.

Typhoid fever is caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacteria and is passed on through food and drink handled by infected persons. It is important that people who are sick never prepare food for others because they risk passing on infections. Anyone who suspects that they may be infected with typhoid should seek immediate medical attention.